Darkness & Levity
by euphemiafleurtrinket
Summary: A collection of one-shots surrounding Haymitch Abernathy & Effie Trinket. All one-shot requests are welcome!
1. Aim

_So Tumblr has decided to mess up with the 'read more' feature, meaning it's deleting everything under the cut when I make a post. I've set up this account so I can post my fics and simply link them from my Tumblr blog because I'm grumpy about it! Some of these, you may have read in the past because I've posted them on Tumblr but never on here! So yeah, here we go!_

 _(If anyone has any prompts, feel free to send them to my Tumblr blog, which is euphemiafleurtrinket!)_

* * *

 _Why was it always so cold?  
_  
It was a thought that had plagued Effie Trinket on many a sleepless night since her unceremonious relocation to District 13 three months ago.

The thin, woollen blanket provided in the welcome pack given on arrival offered little to no protection from what felt like the sub-zero temperatures. Despite this, she tugged the musty grey material up over her ears, so only her face was completely exposed.

The cold wasn't the only thing which kept her awake at night.

Effie was a soul who enjoyed light and the open and the freedom to move about wherever she pleaded. None of this, however, was available to her in District 13. Her claustrophobia was creeping in, exacerbated by the recent Capitol assault, which led to the entire population moving further into the depths of the district. She found herself laying awake most nights, staring up at the stone ceiling above her. In the darkness, her eyes could visualise cracks running through the stone, bits crumbling away here and there. She was terrified that, if she closed her eyes for even one second, the entire place would come crashing down on top of her.

After three hours suffering in the deathly cold that night, she sat up and swung her legs out of bed, slipping her feet into the plain grey flats she'd been provided with. She always kept them beside the bed, completely unwilling to walk barefoot due to the cold.

She decided to occupy herself in her sleepless state by tidying her compartment. Not that there are a lot of tidying to do. She had very few posessions to her name in 13. A few pieces of jewellery and one or two pairs of shoes. When Haymitch had hauled her onto that hovercraft, she basically had what she was wearing and whatever she was carrying in her handbag at the time. It was common for a Capitol woman to carry an extra pair of shoes in her bag, hence the second pair she now had placed beside the wall.

Using a scrap of grey material she had left over from customizing her uniform, she began to dust her desk and the small nightstand beside her bed. Haymitch had laughed the first time he'd seen her personalized uniform.

"There is no way I will be wearing something as drab as you," she'd chastised him after his comments that she looked 'even more ridiculous than usual'. She'd bribed Coin into giving her scissors and and a sewing kit, by threatening not to work with her if she didn't. Coin had given in straight away. Despite her Capitol background, Effie was valuable to the rebel cause. Her history in architecture meant she had quite the knowledge in Capitol buildings, something that would be invaluable when it came to planning attacks. Without Effie, they would have to send spies in to map out the buildings they planned to attack, which could result in an unnecessary loss of life to the rebels.

Effie spent hours fixing a shirt to make it into some sort of mini-dress she could wear with a belt around the middle. She took another shirt and stitched is to the back of the dress, effectively creating a cape-like feature. Using some offcuts and some creative stitching, she made herself a headscarf to hide her honey-blonde hair. She wasn't allowed to wear her wigs in District 13, and there was no way she was leaving her natural hair on show. She accessorized it with a pair of grey tights she had with her when she came to the district. She also added her peach-coloured high heels and a series of colourful bracelets. It wasn't very Effie, but she was making the best out of a bad situation.

Once she'd finished her tidying, she sat back down on the bed and glanced at her bedside clock. 4am.

She had to be in the control room by 6am. Not enough time for sleep. She pulled on her oversized shirt and slipped out of her room. The corridors were lit with dirty brown safety lighting, but it was enough for her to navigate her way around the place. Eventually, she found herself stood outside a large metal door. Everything about the door screamed that she shouldn't be there, but Effie had a terribly inquisitive side to her personality. Slowly she pushed open the door, squinting a little as the automatic lights clicked on and illuminated the room.

She found herself stood in what appeared to be the gun training room. Row upon row of various types of gun lay in front of her, with a shooting range to her left. Before she realised it, she'd moved over to one of the racks and was tracing the smooth metal of a small handgun with her fingertips.

Although Effie Trinket seemed prim and proper, a part of her wanted to train with the soldiers of 13. She picked up the gun and had carried it over to the shooting range, ready to aim when-

"Helps if you load it first, Trinket."

Effie spun around and frowned when she say Haymitch leaning lazily against the door frame.

"What do you want?" She grumbled. Of course he had to show up right now.

"Nothing, nothing," he said, with that stupid smirk he always had. "Just thought I'd give you some helpful pointers."

He moved over and took the gun from her hands, prompting an irritated glare from Effie.

"First off, your safety's on," he said, showing her how to switch it off before putting it back on while he loaded it. "Alright. You're good to go."

Effie went to take the gun back, but Haymitch held it out of her reach.

"Let me show you how it's done," He winked, moving back to the shooting range.

Effie watched as Haymitch stood sideways, twisting his upper body slightly so he could aim. He clicked off the safety, pulled the trigger and-

Hit the dead centre of the target.

Effie's mouth fell open.

"How did you-"

"Practice, Trinks," he winked, before pressing the gun back into her hand and leaving the room.


	2. Go To Her, Haymitch

_This is based on the scene in Mockingjay Part 1 after the bombing, where they find the crater full of roses._

 _EFT x_

* * *

There's a strange smell in the air when she steps out into the cold air. The pungent odour makes Effie scrunch her nose up, but it's eerily familiar. She watches Katniss walking ahead, closely followed by Haymitch. She shifts awkwardly where she stands, but soon follows.

It's a strange experience, being outside again. It's been weeks, maybe even months. The breeze feels cool on her face and the sunlight is a little too bright, causing her to squint. She's thankful it's the middle of summer. She'd cut up the sweater she was given months ago to create a new headpiece for herself. It was silly of her, really. District 13 was cold enough and now she spent most of her time freezing.

She follows behind the pair, with Cressida and Gale walking behind her. She stumbled over the rocks slightly until she reached the top of what is now a crater, left by the recent bombings.

Her jaw drops at the sight before her. The source of the strange smell is laid out before the group. The crater is filled with hundreds of white roses.

She know what this means. She knows Snow is sending Katniss a message. But she pretends to act as bemused as everyone else.

She watches as Katniss moves forward, robotically. The 17 year old seems distressed, reaching down to pick up a rose.

Effie's gaze falls to Haymitch. He's watching the girl break down and his body language changes. His strong façade seems to crumble away slightly.

Effie's carried forward by some feeling she's never felt before. Haymitch and Katniss need eachother right now, yet neither of them seem to realise it.

 _Go to her, Haymitch,_ she urges him silently, hoping to convey the message to him with a gentle touch of her fingertips on his shoulderblade. Usually, any form of contact between him makes him flinch, but he doesn't. In the split second her hand is on him, Effie feels his body relax and he moves forward towards the young girl in the crater.


	3. Hideout

_This is from a prompt I received, about Haymitch accidentally catching Effie in her underwear. (I've lost the original message with this prompt oops!)_

 _EFT x_

* * *

Haymitch slammed the empty liquor bottle down on the counter in the Penthouse kitchen. He was positive there'd been at least five more bottles in the kitchen that morning and, since he'd been away all day attempting to get sponsors for his tributes, those five bottles should still be there.

But they weren't. The cupboard where the bottles were kept was empty. Completely bare. Haymitch growled in frustration, ripping open every other closet around the kitchen but to no avail.  
Something stirred in his memory from the night before.  
"You really ought to reduce your alcohol consumption," Effie had said, jabbing a finger at his chest. "No one will sponsor the children if you approach them inebriated!"  
Haymitch sighed loudly, leaning against the kitchen counter. He knew it. Effie Trinket had removed all alcohol from the Penthouse. He knew it was because people seeing her with a drunk would be bad for her image and could potentially ruin her chances of being moved to a better district next year.  
"That bitch," he muttered. In his mind, he needed every drop of liquor in Panem to block that woman from his mind. She was bossy, insufferable and, although she was pretty when he allowed his mind to wander too far, she was terrifying. He'd never liked clowns as a child, and that's what she looked like to him.  
He decided Effie would have kept the liquor somewhere in the penthouse, perhaps to use as bribery when he refused to go to meet sponsors in the morning. He began by searching in various cupboards around the lounge and dining area. Nothing. All the bathrooms and bedrooms, including his own, were bare.  
He decided to check one last place. It was a risk going into Effie's closet, but it was a risk he was willing to take.  
After checking she was nowhere in the Penthouse, he pushed his way into her bedroom and made for the closet. Pulling the door closed behind him, he began his search.  
After pawing through rows of dresses and (very dangerous) shoes, his search had pulled up nothing.  
That's when Effie decided to make an appearance.  
He heard her fumbling with something outside the door, which gave him just enough time to conceal himself behind a railing of clothes.  
Effie entered the closet, her dress half unzipped. Haymitch could see between the clothes and his eyes widened as Effie slipped the dress off, leaving her standing in her pink lace underwear.  
Haymitch swallowed, trying his best to move as far back into the mass of clothes without making a noise. He suddenly realised what a terrible mistake he had made.  
It was night time and Effie was getting ready for bed. And, of course, Haymitch had found himself hiding behind a rail of Effie's nightdresses.  
He backed himself into the corner as Effie made her way over to where Haymitch was stood. She selected a green nightdress and turned to face the mirror opposide the clothes railing.  
As she unhooked her bra dropped it to the ground, she screamed. It seemed Haymitch had not hid himself well enough. Effie had spotted a flash of dirty blonde hair and one grey eye peeking out from between her nightdresses.  
She quickly covered herself with her nightdress and pulled the rest of the clothes on the railing to one side, revealing the now very red District 12 mentor.  
"What in Panem are you doing in my closet?!" She screamed, slapping him hard across the face, keeping her other arm firmly in place across her chest.  
"Fuck, Trinket," he gasped, reeling from her slap. "I was looking for my damn liquor, no need to be such a bitch about it!"  
"Get out," she said, tears welling in her eyes.  
"What're you crying for?"  
"I'll be branded a whore!" She squeaked. "It's unheard of in the Capitol for a man to see a woman in a state of undress before marriage!"  
"Well I won't tell if you wont," Haymitch said, a smirk playing on his lips. "Besides, I enjoyed the show."  
"…get out!" Effie barked, pushing open the closet door. "Out, you insufferable man!"  
With a final satisfied smirk, Haymitch left the room.


	4. Incentive

_Prompt: "Could you do one where Effie wants Haymitch to do something (Actually do some mentoring or something) and she arouses him. Like, she comes behind him and wraps her arms around his waist and whispers stuff in his ear and then he does it but wants more. Like, he goes into her room and says that he wants her."_

 _EFT x_

* * *

He was late. Again.

He knew he could lay the blame, in part, of Chaff, District 11's somewhat unruly mentor and Haymitch's closest friend. The man often put on parties in the Capitol during Games season and each and every one of them had an open bar, which Haymitch had been known to graciously take advantage of.

He'd rolled out of bed at 11am after being woken by the shrill tones of 12's escort, Effie Trinket, along with a pounding hangover. He sat on the edge of the bed for a few moments, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to dull the pain of his headache, before getting up with a groan.

He knew Effie was on the warpath with him now. The Games had started 4 days ago and they'd already lost their male tribute. Haymitch hadn't picked up a single sponsor. Not even a spark of interest among those willing to give money to help the tributes.

Effie blamed him for every single part of their misfortune.

"I'll be five minutes," he called, sighing in relief at the exasperated huff and the sound of heels walking away outside the door. He ran a hand through his hair and stumbled into the bathroom. He knew he ought to shower and figured the pros outweighed the cons of the situation- it'd wake him up and perhaps make him look less 'disgusting', as Effie had told him time and time again.

He'd just stepped out the shower and tied a towel around his waist when he heard the door open behind him.

"Fucking hell!" He yelped when he saw Effie Trinket standing behind him in the reflection in the mirror.

"You've been 8 minutes, Haymitch," she chastised.

"Son of a-" he stopped himself, fearing the use of another curse in front of her would result in a slap of some kind. "You take my words literally far too often, sweetheart. Just…give me a chance to get ready. Go wait in the lounge or something."

"But how do I know you won't just go back to bed?" She said, seemingly unfazed by his half-nakedness as she took a step towards him.

 _So close he could feel her breath on his back as she spoke._

"Just…trust me," he said exasperatedly, dropping his gaze from her reflection and gripping the edge of the sink. Her proximity always had unwanted effects on him and he'd never known quite how to deal with them.

If he hadn't known how to handle her closeness, he was truly lost when he felt her arms sliding around his middle from behind. He instantly tensed up, his grip on the edge of the sink tightening.

"You've told me to trust you before," she said, her chin propped on his shoulder as her fingers traced along the scar on his abdomen. "And you've let me down so many times…"

"What is this?" He muttered, finally meeting her eyes in the reflection once more.

"Let's call it an incentive, of sorts…" she smiled innocently, giggling at the small groan that left him as she trailed her lips along his shoulder.

When he felt her fingers slipping below the edge of his towel, he was quick to spin her around and press her against the sink, his lips finding hers.

She kissed him back, her hands gripping his shoulders and using them as leverage to pull herself up to sit on the edge of the sink, her legs instantly finding their resting place locked around his hips.

His fingers were already wandering up her thigh when she stopped him, placing a delicate finger over his lips.

"Go out there and do your job," she smiled sweetly, fluttering her ridiculously extravagant eyelashes at him in the manner which always got him to do what she wanted. "Then you can come back to me."

Without another word, she hopped down from the sink and walked out of the bathroom, leaving Haymitch with a gaping expression on his face and a significant problem beneath his towel.

xXx

Her 'incentive' spurred him on, however. If there was one thing Effie Trinket knew how to do, it was manipulation.

By the time he called it a day around 7pm that evening, he'd collected a donation from one sponsor and had sparked the interest of at least three others.

He only hoped it'd be satisfactory enough for Effie to give him his 'reward'.

He'd thought about her throughout the day, particularly in the elevator on the way back up to the penthouse.

If he'd been expecting her to be waiting for him in the lounge, he'd been wrong. She was no where to be seen. No answer at her bedroom door when he knocked.

Grumbling to himself, he made his way down to his own quarters, flicking the light on and raising an eyebrow at the sight of a rather underdressed Effie Trinket perched on his bed.

"Thought you'd bailed," he muttered, sliding of his jacket and tossing it on the chair beside the bed.

Effie responded with a genuine smile and caught his hand in hers, pulling him onto the bed and making a move to straddle his hips.

"One thing you should know about me, Haymitch," she smiled, her lips inches from his. "I _never_ break my promises."


	5. Long Way Home

_Inspired by Elizabeth Banks' interview with Empire, in which she says Effie was 'whisked to District 13 with nothing but the clothes on her back'._

 _EFT x_

* * *

"What's going on?!" Effie asked as she watched the blur of blonde and grey pacing quickly around the Penthouse, opening cupboards and slaming doors, checking behind paintings and in vases.  
"Nothing," Haymitch muttered. "Checking for stuff."  
"Stuff?" She frowned.  
"Yeah. Doesn't matter," he said, finally stopping his pacing and slumping down on the couch beside her.  
Effie looked carefully over him. His body language would make him appear totally calm, if it weren't for the rapid tapping of his foot that gave away his anxiety.  
"Haymitch, dear, do you need tea?" She asked softly.  
"No. Thank you."  
Effie huffed and decided to turn her attention back to the Games. She watched Katniss and Johanna heading towards the salt lake with Beetee's coil, yelping in horror at the events that followed. Johanna's 'attack', Beetee's elecrocution and finally Katniss aiming her arrow at the sky. Then…nothing.  
Effie frowned, watching the static on the screen. She glanced over to where Haymitch was, only to see he'd moved. She looked around and saw him stood beside the door, talking rapidly into what she thought was a wristwatch on his arm. She only caught snippets of his conversation.

 _"She can't come with us."_

 _"No fucking way, Plutarch."_

 _"They wont hurt her, don't be so ridiculous."_

Effie stood up and slowly made her way over to him.  
"What's going on?" She asked cautiously.  
Haymitch pressed a button on his watch and slid his sleeve down over it.  
"We're going to 13," he said simply.  
"What? Haymitch there's-"  
"Effie, for once in your life, shut the fuck up and listen to me. We're going to 13 whether you think it exists or not."  
"Why?"  
"EFFIE!"  
"Okay! Okay…I just need to pop over to my apartment and pack-"  
"No time," he said urgently, grabbing her wrist and pulling her towards the emergency stairwell which would take them to the hovercraft on the roof.  
"UNHAND ME AT ONCE!" She squeaked, yanking her wrist out of his grasp. "I am not going anywhere unless you explain to me what is going on."  
"Rebels. War. 13. Let's go."  
Effie huffed loudly again and stood her ground.  
"I'm not leaving without my things."  
"Everything's packed for you," he lied, clutching at straws now to get her onto the hovercraft.  
"What?"  
"It's all done. Everything. Even got a ton of spa treatments lined up for you on the journey there."  
"Oh Haymitch!" She squealed.  
"Yeah now just shut the fuck up and come with me."


	6. Orders

_Based on a one-shot meme, for a fake relationship AU._

 _EFT x_

* * *

He'd been personally invited to an audience with the president that Tuesday afternoon shortly after the end of the 74th Games. He'd assumed it was to discuss the _outrage_ his two victors had caused. Seeing Effie Trinket seated in the presidential office already seemingly confirmed his idea.

But oh, he was wrong.

Snow's idea was for Haymitch and Effie to publicly announce their courtship, so to speak. His ideology behind the plan was that uniting a Capitol citizen with a victor from 12 would somehow snuff out the rising unrest between 12 and the Capitol, which wasn't quite present yet but there were signs already.

The president gave them no option to disagree.

The pair soon found themselves back in the penthouse, an uncomfortable silence hanging over them until Haymitch chose to break it.

"Absolutely not."

Haymitch was adamant. The meeting with the president had been brief, but it was as if it'd overshadowed any prospect of an 'enjoyable' future he'd had the potential to have.

A quick glance over at Effie made him roll his eyes. The woman was sitting across from him in the lounge, staring down at her delicate hands which were neatly folded in her lap. And she hadn't said a damn word.

"Back me up here!" The exasperation was evident in Haymitch's voice.

"I just…" Effie started, still not looking up. "Perhaps it would be beneficial for the both of us to try…"

Haymitch cut her off with a growl of frustration.

"You're kidding me, right?" He snapped. "I'm not fucking dating you."

Effie's eyes widened at his tone.

"Do you think I want this, Haymitch?" She retorted. "I have a multitude of men I would much rather…dedicate my life to."

"So we tell the president no."

"And risk imprisonment for disobeying orders?" She gasped. "Are you crazy?"

"Believe me, sweetheart, it's a better fucking option than being lumped with some damn clown for the rest of my already fucked up life."

The statement earned him that sharp glare he'd only received from Effie once before, when he'd been particularly drunk and he's told her she looked like a 'damned whore' in the dress she was wearing.

Effie wasn't one to slap, but something told him that godforsaken glare was a dozen times more painful.

"Alright, fine," he grumbled, his fingers already closing around the neck of the whisky bottle so conveniently placed on the counter. "I'll give it a week. After that, I'll fucking hand myself over to the damn peacekeepers."

The remark earned an amused smirk from Effie, but it quickly turned into a frown.

"That's if I don't hand myself over first, darling."

…

The sound of footsteps in the hall outside the bedroom door made him groan. A quick glance at his watch told him it wasn't even 6am yet.

But she was already awake.

"You coming in, baby?" He called. "Or do I have to open the door for you, huh?"

He couldn't help but smile at the giggle that followed. The door flew open and the three-year old girl ran in, instantly pouncing onto the bed.

"You gotta keep quiet, ladybug," he said softly, wrapping his arms around his daughter and pressing a kiss to the mass of blonde curls on her head. "Mommy's still sleeping."

"Mommy _was_ sleeping," Effie corrected mid-yawn, smiling softly and kissing the little girl's cheek. "But luckily for mommy, it's daddy's turn to get you ready for kindergarten."

Haymitch narrowed his eyes, but got up anyway, holding his daughter protectively in his arms as he carried her downstairs.

Effie smiled and settled back into the pillows.

Everything still seemed so surreal to her now. The fake relationship they'd been forced into 8 years ago had slowly turned into a genuine one. It wasn't the ideal romantic relationship Effie had always dreamed of. It was more of a mutual respect and understanding of each other, only strengthened by their time together in District 13 during the rebellion. Slowly, they both realised that maybe they'd been in love for a long time, but neither of them knew how to show it.

Of all the hell President Snow had caused for the pair, this was the one thing she could truly be thankful for.


	7. Persistance

_So this was my submission for day 2 of Hayffie week, 'The Kids' :)_

 _EFT x_

* * *

"I ain't your damn messenger boy, Trinket," he snaps for probably the 100th time since they returned to District 12.  
Theoretically he _is_ the messenger boy. He's responsible for Katniss and Peeta's wellbeing as they recover, and part of his obligation is to report back to Dr. Aurelius once a week with the kids' conditions.

Seemingly, Dr. Aurelius has morphed into a woman named Effie Trinket, and she was calling him to check on the kids every _fucking_ day.

It was frustrating, to say the least.

"I just wanted to check they both ate today…" the tone of concern was obvious in Effie's voice. "You know how I worry about them…"  
"Mhmm, tell me about it," Haymitch mutters, leaning against the wall and folding his arms, using his shoulder to hold the phone to her ear.  
"This is not the time for sarcasm, Haymitch," she says. He can visualise the woman narrowing her eyes at him right now. "Besides, it's doing you the world of good having something to focus on other than your drinking."  
"Yeah whatever," he says, barely even listening as he almost mockingly takes a long drink from the liquor bottle clutched in his hand. "Ya gonna keep me on the phone all night? I mean, I'm sure the kids need tucking in and a bedtime story."  
"Haymitch, don't baby them."  
"Oh yeah, like you're not babying them by fuckin' checkin' in on them every damn day."  
"Because I _care,_ Haymitch!"  
"If you care as much as you say you do, why don't you just move to 12, huh? Give me a fuckin' break."

The line goes dead and he's left staring at the receiver. With a shrug of his shoulders, he puts it back in it's cradle and takes himself off to his bedroom.

If he's being honest with himself, he isn't entirely surprised when she shows up in 12 three days later, five suitcases in tow.

But he knows it's better that she's here. Unwillingly, over the years, they'd both become surrogate parents to Katniss and Peeta.

And an added bonus? He can spend his evenings in peace without the phone ringing every damn night.


	8. Place For Us

_This was from a prompt on Tumblr to write a one-shot around Haymitch and Effie in District 13._

 _EFT x_

* * *

The alarm was loud and shrill in Haymitch's ear.  
Oh joy, he thought. 7am.  
He would be required in the main control room of District 13 from 7.30am until around 10pm that night. It'd been that way since they'd arrived in 13 4 months ago. Up at seven. Asleep by eleven. He was glad for the long days working for the cause. It distracted him from the fact he hadn't drank alcohol since he left the Capitol on the final night of the Quell.

He swung his legs out of the bed, stretching and yawning as he sat up. He spotted his usual attire lying on the chair across the room. He stepped up and slid the black pants on over his boxers and pulled the grey shirt on over his head. He'd been told he had to wear the standard uniform worn in District 13 - a black millitary-style jumpsuit, belted across the chest, with a pair of heavy black boots - but he'd refused. He was a man of his own way. He was one of the leaders of this rebellion. He didn't give a fuck about looking official.  
He stepped up in front of the mirror above the sink, splashing water on his face and brushing his teeth. He ran a hand through his greying dirty-blonde hair, sighing as yet another clump of it came away in his hand.  
"Oh, for fuck sake," he muttered to himself. The stress of the war, coupled with his alcohol withdrawal, was causing many symptoms. Hair loss was one of them. He wasn't one to usually feel self-conscious, but he was a 41 year old man. He knew he shouldn't be losing hair at this age. To hide the growing bald patches in his hair, he'd taken to wearing a plain black beanie hat. It wasn't much, but it at least took one worry out of his mind. He grabbed the hat from the side table and put it over his head and left his compartment.  
As he entered the control room, he noticed a strange atmosphere. He made is way over to Plutarch, who was working fervently at a computer.  
"What's going on?" Haymitch muttered to him in a hushed tone.  
"Sit down," Plutarch said. "We will explain the latest development in a moment."  
Haymitch shrugged and moved away, sitting down at the table.  
Ten minutes later, everyone was assembled around the table. President Coin stood up and cleared her throat.  
"We have three new citizens joining us in Thirteen," she began. Haymitch's attention was piqued. There was one person he'd left behind in the Capitol. He'd never found out what happened to her, but every time he heard Coin make an announcement like this, his stomach twinged with a bit of hope.  
"They're in recovery at present, so they wont be an integral part of the population for another few days," Coin continued.  
"Who is it?" Haymitch spoke up, his voice desperate.  
"Flavius, Octavia," Plutarch spoke now, looking directly at Haymitch. "And Effie Trinket."  
Haymitch buried his face in his hands. They'd found her.  
"Can I see her?" He muttered, his voice obscured by his palm. "I want to see her."  
"Soldier Abernathy," Coin said. "She's still-"  
Haymitch stood up.  
"Take me to fucking see her," he said, a snarl creeping into his voice. "Right now."  
Plutarch nodded towards one of the guards, who gestured for Haymitch to follow him.  
The guard led him into an elevator, which dropped them down to the depths of District 13.  
The doors opened out into a clinical-looking coridoor. He turned to his left and saw a small blonde woman walking slowly towards them, pulling an intravaenous stand with her. He didn't recognise her until she spoke.  
"H-Haymitch?" She said, peering up at him through the flourescent hospital lights.  
Haymitch's heart dropped to his stomach. He recognised the voice. He recognised the grey-blue eyes.  
It was Effie.  
She was rid of all the Capitol attire, fakery and wigs. Instead, she stood there in a standard issue hospital gown and a pair of white slippers. Her hair was matted but he could tell it would fall in loose honey blonde curls to her shoulders. Her eyebrows were still bleached, a remnant of the strange fashion in the Capitol. But it was still her.  
Haymitch moved to crouch down in front of her so he was at her eye level. She was short without her heels.  
"What happened to you..?" He whispered.  
Effie's eyes darted to the guard still stood by the elevator.  
"I'll tell you later," she whispered so only Haymitch could hear.  
"Tell me now," he pressed.  
"Later," she said, a note of finality in her voice.  
"Well," he said, cupping her cheek with his hand. "You're safe now, princess. I'm not gonna leave you again."


	9. Puzzle

_Submission for day 5 of Hayffie week (Angst!). This is based on book!canon Effie, where she is imprisoned in the Capitol. I've played around with this idea of Effie losing her memory, and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out :)_

 _EFT x_

* * *

He watched closely as her trembling fingers struggle to pick up the puzzle piece, before attempting to slot it into place in the half-finished puzzle. They'd been working on this puzzle every day since the day she got here. That day was a year and a half ago. The puzzle wasn't even very complex and, if Haymitch had been helping her out at all, it would have been finished a long time ago. But the doctors had instructed Haymitch to leave Effie to her own devices. It'd help improve her functioning and all manner of psychological things Haymitch was too stubborn to accept or understand.

He remembered the day they told him the damage which had been done to Effie during her imprisonment. A few wounds, broken bones…typical things each of the rescued prisoners had. He'd zoned out a few minutes into the discussion, but the words 'head trauma' brought him back into full consciousness. The doctor went on to explain that Effie had suffered significant head injuries, potentially caused by the explosion they used to break into the prison. They'd patched her up as best they could, but the damage to her brain was most likely irreparable. Now, Effie was stuck in a state of being convinced she was 24, the year before she became an escort. Haymitch had been told there was no way she could be away from the appropriate medical care, at least not at this stage, so she was admitted to a small residential hospital.

Part of Haymitch wanted to run, disassociate himself from the trauma he'd caused to this poor woman he'd had in his life for so many years. He knew this was her fault because he wasn't persistent enough with her the night the arena exploded during the Quell. He'd been _angry_ at her lack of cooperation with him and his last words to her as he stalked out of the penthouse on that fateful night had been "go fuck yourself".

He hated that fact. His last memory of the Effie he knew had been a terrible one. Part of him hoped she'd never remember it.

But he knew he owed it to her. When it really came down to it, Effie had been the only friend he had left if he didn't count Katniss and Peeta. He knew he couldn't abandon her.

He stayed in District 12 after the Capitol fell, taking a hovercraft to the Capitol every weekend. He told Katniss it was to collect his liquor because he was tired of waiting for the delivery train to arrive, and he was partly telling the truth. However, the main purpose of his visits were to see Effie. He spent each Saturday and Sunday with her, working on that _damn_ jigsaw the neurologist had provided to improve her coordination. But her lack of coordination wasn't the worst part.

Effie also had a diagnosis of amnesia. Each week when Haymitch visited, he had to reintroduce himself. He'd been told to tell her he was a therapist too, as Effie had no ability to grasp the concept that her brain had been so damaged. It was easier for her to associate him with the medical care she knew she was receiving, as it was a daily thing. If he'd told her he was an old friend, it would confuse her and cause her a lot of distress. It had happened the first time he'd visited. He'd tried to explain who he was and it had scared her so much, she had to be sedated.

So, that was how he spent every weekend. She remembered him for those two days and by the next week, he was a stranger to her once more.

Seven months after Effie's admission to the hospital, Haymitch was given some troubling news of his own. He'd become increasingly unwell and, after much persuasion from Katniss, he'd attended the hospital for a checkup. The news he received didn't shock him or scare him. He knew it would happen one day, although he hadn't expected it to be so soon.  
His liver was failing and he would be dead within the year. He had the option of a transplant which could potentially save his life, but he opted against it. He didn't deserve to take the opportunity to live from someone who really did deserve it.  
So, he began a course of medication to keep his symptoms at bay and poured all of his focus into visiting Effie in the Capitol.

As his own illness progressed, the travelling between 12 and the Capitol became exhausting, but he didn't want to give up on her. So, when he knew he only had a few months left, he spent the rest of his Games winnings on an apartment in the Capitol right beside the hospital. He began to visit her every other day, giving himself a day to rest in between. She did start to recognise him slightly, her eyes taking on some new kind of gleam every time he walked in. She never once acknowledged that she knew him, but he definitely saw a difference.

But that day, a year and a half since Effie's admission to the hospital, he knew it would be his last visit to her. He knew he could still have visited her at least twice more, but he wanted to let her forget him entirely before the inevitable happened.

He barely spoke that day and, when the time of his visit came to an end, he simply got up and pressed a letter he'd written into her hand.  
"Don't open it yet," he mumbled before leaving without another word.

He died 9 days later.

xXx

Effie liked to be independent in this strange new place she lived. Since she was a young girl, she'd kept herself in a good routine and the kind people who came to see how she was every day always tried to keep her right.

She was in the process of doing her laundry and always made sure to check the pockets of her clothing before putting them in the washer. It was this particular day when she found a neatly folded piece of paper in the pocket of the cardigan she'd worn a few days ago. She unfolded the paper and began to read the messy handwriting.

 _Effie,_

 _You're not going to understand any of this but I need to write it now and give it to you. The doctor's say you're making some progress with your memory, so maybe one day this'll all make sense._

 _I'm Haymitch, the 'therapist' who's been visiting you ever since you got here. I know you don't remember me each time I visit, but it's entirely my fault._

 _We used to work together before you ended up in this place. We were…friends, if I can call it that. Sure, we used to fight, but we were a team as you so often reminded me. Anyway, we worked on the annual Hunger Games for district 12, you as an escort and me as a mentor._

 _A couple years ago, there was a war and you were taken from me. I didn't keep you safe and I hate myself for it. They did this to you because of me. Because I was stupid and selfish._

 _I know you don't remember, but you had a life. You had a career extending beyond your current recollection and it kills me to know you don't remember._

 _The reason I'm writing this letter is because I'm not going to be around much longer. I'm sick and I'm dying…fuck, if you remembered the way I used to drink, you'd tell me it was my own fault. Which it is. I fucked up these past few years, so I think dying is a pretty good relief. And the best part is, it isn't going to hurt you, because you'll read this letter and promptly forget._

 _I'm going to end this here with one final thing. The reason your situation hurts me so much is because I loved you. I still do, I guess. I just hate that I'll never be able to tell you that._

 _Haymitch._

Effie frowned and reread the letter before wandering off down the corridor, the letter still clutched in her hand. She approached the nurses station and got one of the nurse's attentions.

"I found this letter in my cardigan. It's addressed to me, but I don't think it's for me. I've never met anyone called Haymitch.


	10. Silence

_Super-short oneshot here, based on my headcanon that the torture Effie's experienced in prison has rendered her completely silent._

 _EFT x_

* * *

He'd always dreamed of a silent Effie Trinket.

The idea of an end to the constant chatter emanating from that woman had seemed like bliss.

But the reality of it was an entirely different scenario to the fantasy.

When he'd asked her to come to 12 with him after the fall of the Capitol, his question was met with a simple nod.

Every single question he asks is given the same silent response.

A nod or shake of the head, a look which gives him his answer.

He refuses to count the screams he hears at night as communication.

Even though they tell him more than simple words ever could.

He often reflects on his dream of silence.

If he'd known what he knows now, he would have counted that dream amongst his nightmares.

It's been seven fucking years and she still hasn't said a word.


	11. Slow

_I got this idea when 'Work Song' by Hozier came up on shuffle and it gave me some serious Hayffie feelings. I always think that when Hayffie do the do, it's always too spontaneous and quick for Effie's liking. So one day, she tells him to slow down. The lyrics weren't an inspiration. It was just the whole mood the song evokes. I don't know. There's some smut in this, so proceed with caution!_

 _EFT x_

* * *

She was used to it by now. There was barely a spare moment in 13, so everything in between meetings and propo-filming seemed to be done in fastforward.  
Her time alone with Haymitch was no exception.  
Quite often, they didn't make it back to one of their rooms. They instead found themselves in storage cupboards, corridors no one used, even once on the table in the meeting room in the dead of night.  
Effie was tired of having to ask for new shirts. The authorities were getting suspicious of her reasoning now, but she put it down to the fact she often cut up her clothes to make new outfits.  
Realistically, it was Haymitch's eager hands destroying the fabric.  
It was a Tuesday lunchtime when Coin decided, for the first time, to call the meetings off for the rest of the day, which left everyone involved with a whole afternoon to spare until dinner at 6pm.  
Effie didn't see it, but she could feel the knowing glance coming from Haymitch's direction. She knew what he planned on filling his afternoon with, and she wanted it too. But maybe this time it could be different.

She pushed back from the table and got up nonchalantly, disappearing from the room without a word. She thought he hadn't followed her, which surprised her. But he must've done so in silence because, no sooner than she'd shut the door of her room, Haymitch had her pressed against the back of it and his hands were already wandering.  
She let out a soft moan against his lips as she kissed him, gripping his shoulders and using them as leverage to pull herself up and wrap her legs around his hips.  
He kissed her back eagerly, his teeth nibbling her lip as he tore at the buttons of her shirt.  
"Slow down…" Effie mumbled.  
The words caught him off guard and he broke off the kiss, his brow furrowed.  
"Never heard that before," he frowned.  
"Yes well we've never had so much time on our hands before," she said, slowly brushing her lips along his jawline.  
Haymitch sighed and withdrew his hands from her shirt, moving them to her hips.  
"I'm…not sure what you want me to do," he mumbled sheepishly.  
Effie giggled softly and hopped down from him. She gently took his hands and led him over to the bed, laying down and pulling him down so he was beside her.  
"Now kiss me…" she smiled softly.  
He instantly planted his lips on hers, kissing her in his usual rough manner which resulted in Effie placing a finger over his lips to stop him.  
"Not like that…like this…" she said, cupping his cheeks and kissing him slowly, deepening it ever so slightly.  
He took her lead, shifting his body so his elbows were resting either side of her head.  
Effie smiled into their kiss, sliding her arms around him to rest on his shoulder blades.  
Haymitch had to fight the urge to just take her there and then, but her intentions were clear enough for him to respect them. He slowly slipped a hand under her shirt and found her breast, his fingertips tracing over the soft skin. The resultant moan coming from her spurred him on more and he broke his lips from hers, slowly kissing down her neck and focusing on the spots where she was most sensitive.  
Effie closed her eyes and smiled softly, her hands beginning to fumble with the buttons of Haymitch's shirt and sliding it off his shoulders. Haymitch followed suit and gently sat Effie up, tugging the shirt over her head.  
As she felt his lips edging further down her neck, she took his hand and guided it down to the waistband of her pants.  
"I know what I'm doing, Trinks…" he mumbled into the skin of her neck, pulling his wrist away but still sliding his hand into her underwear.  
"You need to…oh…think of my needs as well…" she breathed, shifting herself so he had better access. "We are not rushing it this time…"  
"And where's the fun in that?" He said with a slight smirk, looking up at her and watching her reactions as his fingers teased her.  
Effie wanted to let him go on for a while, but soon realised he was trying to pick up the pace again.  
"No no no," she muttered, pulling his hand away and nudging him off her.  
"For fuck sake…" he sighed, rolling onto his back and running a hand over his face before glancing down at his crotch. "You know, I'm gonna have to take care of him myself if you don't stop fucking stalling anytime soon."  
"Why is it that all the men I've been with can't appreciate anything less than…'fucking'?" she winced as she used the word. She'd always hated coarse language.  
Haymitch chuckled lightly, his fingers tracing patterns on her thigh.  
"Alright," he said after a few moments. "Show me what I should…'appreciate', then," he said.  
"You should know what you should appreciate," she giggled, turning onto her side. "It's common curteousy."  
He rolled his eyes, a lopsided smirk on his face as he drew her into a kiss.

He tried harder this time, and it seemed to be working. And somehow, he enjoyed it more than their usual 'encounters'.  
He'd taken it slowly, trying to show her wordlessly how much he did in fact appreciate her. She wasn't just his thing to go to when he felt the urge. There was something deeper there. Maybe she knew that now. Maybe she'd known all along and she wanted him to show it.  
He rolled off her half an hour later, his arms instantly finding the curve of her waist where they fit so perfectly, and pulling her close into his side.  
"That what you wanted?" He whispered as nonchalantly as he could, his fingers absentmindedly brushing the hair out of her face.  
His question was met by the soft sound of her breathing. Of course she'd fallen asleep.  
"Guess I gotta find the words to tell you how I feel instead of actions, huh?" He whispered kissing her forehead and gazing at her as she slept on his chest.  
Maybe he'd never say it out loud. He didn't think he had it in him to even string the words together. Those three words had caused so much tragedy in his life. But they resonated so strongly in his mind each time he looked at her.  
He was in love with her.


	12. Someone Like Him

_So this is a really short 300 word drabble based on the song 'Without' by Years & Years. It gave me a lot of feelings of Haymitch loving her from afar, convincing himself that she'll never reciprocate the way he feels. I'm just gonna go ahead and post a couple of lines that really struck me as I listened to this song:  
"You don't belong to me, you're too far away…"  
" How could I have known you're a universe?"  
" You're enough, in love without me.."_

 _EFT x_

* * *

Who would want someone like him?

The drunken shell of a man asks himself the same thing every time he sees the ethereal being who bears the name Effie Trinket.  
There's a beauty and grace about her he could never hope to appreciate enough. All he can do is gaze in awe in the moments when her sharp blue eyes aren't focussed his way. He's been frightened to gaze upon beautiful things since the time he spent in the arena at the age of 16. He'd since associated beauty with poison. When he first saw Effie, he instantly became defensive, as if he would burn away if he looked at her for too long. He was quick to realise that she was a beauty he was safe to gaze upon.  
He never lets her see him looking, but he's sure she knows. But then again, he knows she's probably used to it. He's seen the way the Capitol men's eyes follow her as she crosses the main hall of the training centre  
He doesn't want to fall in love with her, but she's found herself rooted deeply in his heart and she didn't even try. He doesn't know if he's in love with her or the _idea_ of her, but he still feels something for her.  
He wants to yell it from the rooftops, but he's told himself he doesn't deserve to love. Everyone he loved was taken from him by the Capitol. If the same thing happened to Effie, he would never forgive himself.  
The way she talks to others, the delicate touches of her hands on people's arms, the genuine smile that overcomes her face when that one particular gamemaker speaks to her…he knows she's enough in love without him.

After all, who would want someone like him?


	13. Stubborn Love

_Based on the song 'Stubborn Love' by The Lumineers._

 _EFT x_

* * *

Stubborn. That's the way he was. That's the way he always had been.

In all the years they'd worked together, he refused to acknowledge how much she cared for him. Maybe he didn't want to accept it. Maybe he was scared to.

Effie didn't dwell on it.

She even tried not to dwell on it when he asked her to move back to 12 with him following the fall of the Capitol.

On the nights they spent together, wrapped in eachother's embrace, she sometimes felt it. The gentleness of his fingers stroking her arm as he held her, his pressed kisses to her bare shoulders…perhaps maybe he felt something for her too.

But it was always just a 'maybe'.

She was in love with him, and his indifference was almost painful.

Maybe he was incapable of letting himself _feel_ love. She knew he had trouble dealing with his emotions. But it still hurt.

Exactly a year to the day since she'd moved with him, it all got too much for her. She packed her bags and left for the Capitol, leaving him to dwell on his indifference alone.


	14. The Snowball

_From a prompt request on Tumblr in which Effie gets Haymitch with a snowball!_

 _EFT x_

* * *

"Don't you dare throw that snowba-, goddammit!"

Haymitch's cry as the snowball hit him square in the face seemed to resonate around the entire Victor's Village and while Effie hated loud noises, his reaction made her giggle.

It was Effie's first winter living in 12 and it was a bad one. The snow had started to fall at the beginning of November and it was still falling now, the week before Christmas. Effie had initially complained and refused to leave the house for days, but that was when the two Mellark children came knocking at the door, all bundled up in their winter coats and begging for their Nana Effie to play with them. She reluctantly agreed, but soon found herself out there most days with the two children, playing in the snow.

Haymitch had taken this as a great opportunity to irritate Effie even more than he already tried to. He'd strategically hide himself while Effie was outside with the kids, and pelt her with snowballs, making her squeal. There wasn't much entertainment in 12, but maybe this was enough for him.

He should have been expecting her to exact some kind of revenge on him, but he wasn't. Which was why he'd yelped so loudly when that snowball hit his face.

"Aw, does Haymitch not like it?" Effie giggled, sidling over to him with a mock pout on her face.  
"Didn't know ya had such good aim," he huffed, brushing the snow out of his hair.  
Effie giggled, reaching a hand up to help him out. However, the simple movement led to her over balancing and she slipped, grabbing Haymitch's arm to stop herself falling.  
Haymitch apparently hadn't been ready to catch her and, as Effie fell, she pulled him down too.

They lay there in a tangled mess in the snow, Effie on her back and Haymitch awkwardly splayed on top of her.  
"Now I'm an adventurous man," Haymitch smirked down at her. "But I didn't think you'd be game for doing this out in the snow."  
"Haymitch!" Effie giggled, smacking his arm but was soon silenced when his lips met hers. She would have kissed him back if she hadn't heard the disgusted sounds of the Mellark children a few feet away from them. Effie blushed bright pink and shuffled out from under Haymitch, ushering the kids back to their parents' house before returning.  
"Come on," she said, holding a gloved hand out to Haymitch. "I'm going to get you inside and get you warmed up."  
Haymitch wiggled a brow at her, a smirk on his face.  
"Oh for goodness sake, Haymitch…" Effie giggled, leading him inside.


	15. The Switch

_Prompt- "Cinna drags Effie back from a bar, hammered, after their tributes deaths and it's suddenly role reversal, Haymitch has to take care of her. In her drunken state Effie tries it on with Haymitch and they kiss and she says ILY before passing out. In the morning he confronts her and things get a lil steamy? :)"_

 _EFT x_

* * *

Effie gazed around the penthouse from where she had been deposited on the couch, trying to make out the faces of the men talking in loud whispers in front of her.  
 _"The fuck happened to her?"_ One growled quietly. The voice was very familiar.  
 _"I believe she took those deaths a little…badly,"_ The second uttered. Yes, familiar too.  
Effie furrowed her eyebrows slightly.  
 _"Well what the fuck am I supposed to do with her?"_ The first voice again. _"She usually takes care of me when I get like that!"_ _  
_ _"Therefore you should be an expert in this, Haymitch."_ _  
_The other man, a blonde from what Effie could make out through her hazy vision, sighed loudly in frustration.  
 _"Fine. Fine. But if this gets out to anyone…well, just remember I'm a victor and I can, and will, fuck you up, Cinna."_ _  
_ _"Believe that when I see it,"_ The other man smirked before exiting the penthouse.

Haymitch crouched down in front of the escort, who was currently slumped in the most unladylike fashion on the couch.  
"Help me out here, Trinket," he sighed.

"With what?" she said, sitting up slightly. "I like helping. What can I help you with?"

Haymitch chuckled lightly, shaking his head.  
"Dunno. You're the expert in dealing with people when they're totally hammered. So help me out."

"Yes. Help you out. Okay," she slurred, standing up but toppling over in her high heels, landing awkwardly on top of him.  
"Oh, goodness," she giggled.

Haymitch gasped a little when her weight, albeit very light, was suddenly on top of him.  
"Steady on there, Trinks. Come on, up you get," he said, moving his hands to her hips to try and move her off him.

Effie giggled more when she felt his hands on her.  
"You know," she mumbled somewhat huskily. "I rather like this. You're a very…handsome man, who I've chosen to sit on this evening."

"Fucking hell," he mumbled, trying harder to get her off him. "Bedtime, Effie."

"You're inviting me to your bed already?" She smirked, getting up. "Well, well, Haymitch, I never expected this from you!"

Haymitch realised that this was working. he was going to play along.  
"Oh, yeah, absolutely," he smirked, grabbing her ass as he stood up for good measure. "Gonna give you the best night of your life, Trinks."

Effie squealed loudly when he grabbed her ass, before leaning against the nearest wall and pulling him against her.  
"You can take me right here," she slurred, pressing a sloppy kiss to his lips and jumping up to wrap her legs around his hips.

Haymitch's eyes widened when she kissed him, but he was still playing along with her drunken antics, so he kissed her back.

Effie moaned softly into their kiss, beginning to trail her kisses down his neck, but the second her head neared his shoulder, she fell asleep.

Haymitch chuckled when he heared her soft snores and, still with her wrapped tightly around him, he carried her to her room and put her in bed.

 _Early the following morning…_

Haymitch hadn't intended on falling asleep in her bed, but he didn't dare leave her in the state she was in. At some point in the night, he'd slung an arm around her middle and she was laying her head on his shoulder.  
He lay there for a while, not daring to move.

The bright light in the room woke Effie up. She smiled when she felt the warm body beside her. She opened her eyes slowly and turned so her forearms were resting on the man's chest.  
"Good mor-OH MY GOODNESS!" She squeaked when she was it was Haymitch she was now lying on.

"That how you greet every man you find in your bed?" He smirked. She looked so beautiful first thing in the morning and Haymitch, of course, had never seen her like this. He felt strange to admit it, but having her lying on top of him was quite the turn-on. He moved his hands to rest on the small of her back, holding her in place.

"Why on earth are you here?!" She yelped, sitting up a little and not realising what her positioning was doing to Haymitch.

He surpressed a gasp, automatically pulling her closer to him.  
"You, uh, begged me to _take_ you," he smirked. "But, you were drunk. So I put you to bed instead. Apparently I fell asleep."

She looked shocked, but then smirked a little when she realised he was pulling her onto him a little.  
"Well, it seems you didn't take me when I was drunk," she smirked. "But…my question is…would it have happened if I was sober?"

"You're sober now," he observed, taking her hint before flipping her over so he was over her. "Why don't we find out?"

"I seem to recall you saying you were going to give me the best night of my life?"

"Yes, well I'm about to give you the best morning," he smirked, pressing his lips to hers


	16. The Wedding

_I wrote this after the first trailer for Mockingjay Part 2, in which we see Haymitch and Effie together at Finnick and Annie's wedding :)_

 _EFT x_

* * *

"Hold still!" She huffed as she tried to drag the comb through his dirty blonde hair. "Goodness, Haymitch, when was the last time you brushed this?!"  
"Probably would have brushed it this morning if I'd known you'd fucking scalp me later," Haymitch grumbled as he felt more strands of his already thin hair being yanked out with each pass of the comb.

She'd insisted on making him look 'presentable', and had a serious selective hearing problem when it came to his protests. But now, here he was. Seated at the small grey dressing table in Effie's room, scowling at her in the mirror as she attempted to tame his locks.

"It would have been better if you hadn't spent the last few months wearing that atrocity on your head," she said, gesturing to the discarded beanie hat laying on the back of the chair.  
"You're talking to me about wearing atrocities in my head?" He questioned her, turning his head to look at her properly. "Talking of which, don't tell me you're going to wear that fucking headscarf for the wedding…"  
Effie looked at him as if he was insane.  
"No, of course not!" She said with a breathy laugh. "It wouldn't go with my dress, now, would it?"  
"It's district uniform," Haymitch said. "You really think Coin is gonna lighten up on that?"  
"She already has," she smiled smugly. "Those were my terms if she wanted my help getting the bride ready."  
Haymitch rolled his eyes, turning back around and letting her continue with his hair.  
He stopped her when she pulled a can of the standard issued hairspray out of her drawer.  
"My hair can stay in place itself, Trinket," he said in a warning tone.  
Effie sighed and put the can down, holding her hands up.  
"Okay I'm done," she sighed. "Now, I managed to get your shirt and trousers pressed. They're in your closet and I expect you back here in an hour."  
"Yes ma'am," he said sarcastically, quickly darting out of her clutches and down to his own room.  
He wandered back an hour later, knocking on the door and frowning when Effie pulled it open.  
She stood there in a pale pink dress, her…blonde…hair piled up on top of her head. It looked like she'd used that entire can of hairspray on her hair, and then some.  
"That your real hair?" Were the only words he managed to stutter out.  
"Well, I had to work with what I little resources I had…" she said, and Haymitch was able to note the obvious twinge of sadness in her voice. "Now, come in and let me look at you.  
Haymitch sighed and jammed his hands in his pockets, walking in and closing the door behind him.  
Effie took a step back, looking him up and down and shaking her head.  
"This will never do…" she muttered, moving over without any warning. She grabbed the hem of his shirt and began to tuck it neatly into the waistband of his pants, her hands wandering dangerously close to-  
"Effie!" He yelped, smacking her hand away.  
"Oh behave," she said, narrowing her eyes and tucking the last bit of his shirt in before going to fasten his buttons properly.  
"You trying to fucking choke me?!" He said when she'd finished, his fingers tugging at the now-buttoned collar of his shirt.  
"I'm trying to make you look presentable, Haymitch," she said, stepping back and looking at him properly. "Much better. Are we ready?"  
"Mm. Let's get this shit over with," he mumbled, turning on his heel and stalking off down the corridor without her.


	17. This Isn't Effie Trinket

_A short one-shot about Haymitch watching Effie in District 13._

 _EFT x_

* * *

This isn't Effie Trinket.  
The blur of grey whirrs around the control room like a storm. Her garish jewellry gives the occasional flash of colour like lightening.  
He's leaning against the wall, a mug of strong coffee clutched in his hand, something forbidden by the laws of 13 but today the team needed it.  
He watches her in fascination. No, this isn't Effie Trinket. The ditzy Capitol woman who so often blinded him with the colours of her outrageous fashion sense.  
This woman before him is determined, wanting to get the job done. She's serious, deadly, displaying an aura of vengeance against the city she once called home. He can see in her clear blue eyes that she's angry and also a little disgusted with herself for being involved in Snow's regime for so long. She's fuelled by Katniss and Peeta, fuelled by Haymitch. He told her what happened to his family after he won, and it lit a spark inside her.  
The more he watches her, the more he realises that he was wrong. She's no longer being opressed by the Capitol. She's been given freedom to speak out, act on her feelings. She's angry and determined. He sees that now.  
This is Effie Trinket.


	18. We're Going To War, Princess

_Short one-shot about getting Effie to District 13!_

 _EFT x_

* * *

Effie felt as if she were watching the events on the big screen in front of her happen in slow motion.

The lightening, the arrow then…nothing.  
The Viewing Room of the training centre seemed to explode just as the Arena had. Commotion rose all around her like wildfire. Shouts of horror and also celebration filled the room.  
Effie was only brought back to her senses when she felt the hand clasp around her arm.

"This way, Miss. Trinket," the male voice said quietly yet urgently.  
"Unhand me this instant!" Effie yelped, jerking her arm out of the stranger's grip.  
"I'm afraid I must insist," the man persisted, gripping Effie's arm tighter this time. "Mr. Abernathy is waiting."  
Effie furrowed her eyebrows, "Is something wrong?"  
The man said nothing, merely dragging her out the room and pushing her into the elevator and instructing her to press the button to take her to the roof, before disappearing as quickly as he'd appeared.  
Effie straightened her dress out and frowned.  
"Well I never!" She huffed, jabbing the button to take her to the roof.  
The second the elevator door opened onto the roof, another pair of hands grabbed her and pulled her out.  
"Listen up, sweetheart," Haymitch said, bending down so he was at eye level with Effie. "You're going to do everything I say and you're not going to ask questions. Okay?"  
"What are you-"  
Haymitch put a hand over her mouth to shut her up.  
"I said listen," he said. He was talking quickly and it was sending Effie into a panic. "Okay. What's about to happen has been in the planning for years. We're taking a hovercraft. I can't tell you where just yet."  
Effie grabbed Haymitch's wrist and pulled his hand away from her mouth.  
"I am most certainly not going anywhere!" She yelped. "You are not taking me away into goodness knows where without an explanation!"  
Haymitch opened his mouth to speak but closed it again when he heard the whir of the hovercraft, which seemingly appeared out of nowhere.  
When the ladder dropped, Haymitch stepped back and gestured for Effie to climb up first.  
"I told you," Effie said, folding her arms across her chest. "I'm not going."  
"Sweetheart," Haymitch sighed, nudging her towards the ladder. "Don't make me have you tranquilised."  
"You wouldn't…" Effie's eyes widened in horror.  
"Well don't test me," He smirked, helping her take her first few steps up the ladder before climbing up after her.  
As soon as Effie stepped onto the hovercraft, she felt a sharp pain in her arm. She looked down just in time to see someone withdrawing a vial of her blood from the crook of her arm.  
"What on earth are you doing?" She squealed in horror.  
"We need DNA on file for every one of our citizens," Plutarch had appeared in the doorway.  
"Citizens?"  
"Of District 13," Haymitch explained, gesturing to two chairs at the opposite side of the small room they now stood in. "Sit."  
Effie furrowed her eyebrows but sat down regardless.  
"Okay," Haymitch continued, sitting down opposite her. "We're on our way to 13."  
"But 13 is-"  
"Dead and gone, yeah?" Haymitch laughed, shaking his head. "Actually, it's alive and pretty much still there."  
"You're lying," she said shakily.  
"He's not lying," Plutarch said, pulling a chair over and sitting down. "13 is still there. It's still alive. And that's where we're going."  
"I don't understand…"  
"Wouldn't expect you to," Haymitch said. "As I said, this has been in the planning for years."  
"What do you mean?"  
Haymitch paused for a moment and looked up, meeting her eyes for the first time in the whole conversation.

"We're going to war, princess."


	19. The Witching Hour

_So ever since seeing Elizabeth Banks in the Power Rangers trailer as Rita and sounding like an evil Effie, I've been trash for Effie wearing a costume very similar to this when she attends a Halloween party with Haymitch. So I wrote it.  
Please please please let me know what you think :) this is my first fic in several months and I finally feel like I'm getting back into writing, so I'd love to know peoples' opinions :)_

 _Also, fair warning, there is smut ahead!_

* * *

If Effie Trinket knew one thing, it was how to drive Haymitch crazy.

It was the first Halloween celebration Panem had had since the fall of the Capitol and Haymitch had traveled to the city in question to spend it with Effie.  
They'd kept things casual since leaving 13, one visiting the other as often as they could. Effie had begged him to come for this holiday, as Plutarch was holding a huge party and Effie assured Haymitch that he would simply _die_ when he saw her costume.  
Haymitch had refused point blank to wear a costume because in his opinion, the idea of fancy dress was something stupid reserved only for the Capitol citizens. Effie was somewhat accepting, but still insisted on dragging Haymitch around some stupid Capitol department store on the morning of the party. Eventually, she managed to make him buy a jet black suit, which she wrestled him into that evening. But he had to stop her when she came at him with black eyeliner.

"You're pushing it," he said in a warning tone, which caused her to retreat to her bedroom.

He was lounging on her couch when she emerged two hours later and Haymitch almost choked on his coffee when he saw what she was wearing.  
The costume consisted of a green leather leotard, complete with black fishnets and thighs high green boots. She'd donned a black wig, her makeup dark and dangerous.

"The fuck are you supposed to be?" He asked, his eyes shamelessly scanning her body.  
"I'm a witch," she responded, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
His mind conjured up the images of witches he'd seen in his childhood story books and she wasn't it.  
"Your ass is hanging out," he retorted, taking a sip from his mug. "Not that I'm complainin'."  
"Always the gentleman, aren't you," she fired back with a smirk, her hands coming to rest on his forearms when he moved over to her.  
"I try my best," he smirked, leaning in for a kiss. "You look hot as fuck."  
"Language," she chided, but the blush was evident on her cheeks when they pulled apart.  
He'd have taken her right there if she hadn't instantly hurried him to the apartment door.

xXx

The party was in full swing by the time they got there, much to Effie's horror. However, she soon relaxed when another couple followed in behind them.

Haymitch's eyes scanned the room, trying to spot anyone he knew. But every single person was either hidden behind a mask or makeup.

 _No different to the Capitol on a normal day, then_ , he mused.

The only person he recognised was Johanna Mason. Of course, the girl was practically naked, and had painted her whole body red in some strange interpretation of what Haymitch could only guess was the devil. He must have been staring, because he felt Effie's grip on his arm tighten and heard her clear her throat to get his attention.

When he looked at her, he was certain she was going to scold him, but she was thankfully interrupted when Plutarch appeared before them, dressed as-

" _Snow?!_ " Haymitch scoffed over the man's costume.  
"Yes, I believed the costume to be quite fitting for a night centred around horrors," Plutarch smirked, waving off Haymitch's questioning stare before his attention turned to Effie. "My dear, you look absolutely incredible. Although it isn't quite what I imagined when you said you were dressing as a witch."  
"Eyes up, Heavensbee," Haymitch growled, uncomfortable with how the man's gaze kept drifting to Effie's cleavage.  
Effie looked over at Haymitch and nudged him with her elbow to shut him up before she spoke.  
"Thank you, " Effie giggled. "As you can tell, Haymitch isn't a fan of me wearing this in public. But at least I bothered to dress up. Haymitch refused."  
"You wanted to dress me up as a damn cat, Effie," Haymitch snapped, Effie's words of ' _but darling, we're a couple, our costumes ought to be related_ ' buzzing in his memories.  
But if Effie was right on one thing, it was that he was uncomfortable with her dressing like that in public. Those goods she put on display belonged to him, as far as he was concerned. Hell, she even told him she was all his on an almost daily basis.  
With a final grumble, he stalked off in the direction of the bar, leaving Effie to it. She wanted to flaunt herself, he wasn't going to get in her way.

He hadn't drank since they ended up in District 13, so he ordered himself a glass of water and sat watching the party as he sipped it.  
"What's wrong with you, old man?" It was Johanna. Of course she'd be the one to find him and interrupt his grumbling train of thought. "Don't like the fact that Effie's costume relies solely on her tits and ass?"  
"Fuck off," he growled, looking her up and down. "Speak for yourself."  
"Maybe I'll give her inspiration for next year," the woman grinned, but sensed he wanted to be left alone and flounced back off into the crowd.

The scowl didn't leave his face the entire evening, even after he rejoined Effie shortly before they left.  
The taxi journey back to her apartment was spent in heavy silence, Effie only breaking it once they were inside the living room.  
"You're a idiot, aren't you," she sighed, removing her wig and unwinding her blonde curls.  
"Whatever," he grumbled, heading down to the bedroom and fumbling with his tie on the way. The sooner it was off, the better.  
"You are," Effie giggled, entering the bedroom close behind him and shutting the door. "You think I wore this to flaunt myself, don't you?"  
"Why the fuck else would you wear it, Effie?" He fired back, his irritation rising as he sat down on the edge of the bed to unlace his shoes and kick them off.  
"Well, I take notice of what my man likes," she said sweetly, slowly tugging the zipper at the side of her leotard. "I told everyone who asked that this costume was for you."  
He would have responded if she hadn't peeled off the leotard then and there, revealing the matching green lace lingerie set she was wearing underneath.  
"No one else gets to see this part of my costume," she purred, moving to straddle him. " _This is all for you, darling_."  
"Fuck…" he breathed, his mood completely shifting from irritation to pure lust as his eyes trailed over her body, his fingers following suit and relieving her of her bra.

Effie leaned down slightly, brushing her lips along his jawline before she kissed him hard, her hands pushing the suit jacket from his shoulders before moving on to open his shirt, getting rid of that too. The pair were breathless by the time she'd gotten him down to his boxers and she pulled back to look into his eyes as she slowly began to grind on him.

"You're a damn tease," Haymitch hissed, his fingers slipping into the hem of her panties, desperate to tug them down as his mouth latched onto her breast. He could feel how her back arched towards him, a sure sign that her feelings of pleasure were building.  
She lifted her hips just enough to let him remove her panties, kicking them off before she freed him from his boxers, which had been tightening a little too uncomfortably.

When she finally sank down onto him, he let out a groan, momentarily biting her in sheer pleasure of how she felt around him. But the sounds that were leaving him soon increased in frequency when she began to move on him.  
They lasted longer than they usually did, both seemingly intent on drawing out their pleasure. Each time Haymitch felt himself getting close, he stopped her movements, his fingers teasing her to bring her to the edge with him.  
When neither of them could hold on any longer, he flipped her over and pinned her down, finishing the job exactly the way she liked it.

Afterwards, as they lay tangled in the sheets, Haymitch pressed a kiss to her damp forehead as his fingers traced her forearm.  
"I swear you're the most infuriating person I know but…"  
"But you love me?" Effie finished his sentence and he was glad for it. Those words had never passed his lips and he knew they probably never would, no matter how much he felt them.  
All he did was grunt in response, leaning over and switching out the light, drifting off to sleep with his girl safely in his arms.


	20. Fowl Play

_This was a request from ellanainthetardis on Tumblr: 'how about the famous geesenapping case? :p'.  
This is a really cracky headcanon we discussed, in which Effie steals Haymitch's geese to get him to pay attention to her. And it turned into this. Enjoy!_

 _A/N- I'm not too happy with the ending, but the entire thing is crack, so it doesn't look as terrible._

* * *

It was the fourth time that week that Effie had woken to find Haymitch's side of the bed empty. The first few times it happened when it started a few months ago, Effie had questioned it. But she soon realised exactly where he was, although it didn't make it any less frustrating.  
Getting up, she pulled a thick cardigan over her nightdress and made her way downstairs, already feeling her irritation rising.

"Come back to bed," she mumbled when she found the man in question in the back yard. "It's cold."

"In a minute," was his response, not even turning to look at her. But Effie didn't wait around and went straight back inside.

Haymitch had bought a goose four months ago, for which reason, Effie had no idea. But she didn't question it. He kept it outside, which was good enough for her. But then, the following week, he'd arrived home with two more. Now, he had a brood of ten, consisting of six females and four males.  
Haymitch turned himself into quite the businessman after that, selling the eggs and any chicks they had. But that was when Effie started to get irritated.

Haymitch was often outside early in the mornings, hence her waking up alone more often than not. Haymitch spent at least two hours every evening outside with the geese, checking each of them over and making sure they had enough straw bedding to last them the night. Intimacy had always been a major factor in their relationship and now, Effie was lucky to get more than a peck on the cheek every night.

Haymitch had gotten over his addiction to alcohol and found a new one with geese. Effie knew she had to intervene.

xXx

"Are you sure you're not just miscounting?" Effie asked as she sipped her coffee.

"Effie, I'm pretty sure I can count to ten," Haymitch grumbled in response. "And I counted zero."

"Perhaps they're hiding?" She suggested. "I mean, it's getting terribly cold out."

"No, geese are very-" he trailed off, his eyes narrowing.

"What is it?" Effie asked, placing a hand on his arm.

"The cat," he growled. "Katniss' fucking cat."

Effie couldn't help the giggle that left her and she shook her head.

"Darling, you're being terribly irrational," she said with a smirk. "The cat couldn't possibly eat ten geese. And surely, there would be feathers everywhere…"

"Cats are smart," he murmured under his breath. "Maybe it covered its tracks…"

"Haymitch," she sighed, before slowly sliding her arms around his middle, reaching up to nibble his neck. "If you come back inside, I can take your mind off everything…"

She was surprised when he pushed her away.

"This is an emergency, Effie!" He snapped. "I'm losin' money here!"

The words brought tears to Effie's eyes, but she was stronger than to let them fall. Instead, she blinked them away and headed back inside.

xXx

Effie had thought he'd come around after a day or two, but he didn't. In fact, she saw even less of him than she had before. During the day, he was out searching for his flock of birds and during the night, he was staked out in the kitchen, watching out of the window for any sign of the cat coming back for more. Effie lost count of how many times she'd had to stop him from storming over to Katniss' place to berate the girl on her lazy cat-keeping skills.

"I don't know what to do," Effie sighed, accepting the mug of tea Katniss pressed into her hand.

"Tell him the truth," the girl responded. "It's been almost two weeks now. Peeta and I can't keep your stupid secret for much longer. Haymitch is going crazy."

"Katniss, he'd threatening murder to whoever took the geese," Effie mumbled. "I…he'll hate me when he finds out it was me."

On the other side, if she didn't tell him, their relationship would never improve. She knew Haymitch, and she knew he wasn't one to give up on anything, no matter how trivial.

Then and there, she decided what to do.

xXx

Haymitch was freezing cold after having been out searching with Peeta all day. He was looking forward to getting home to the fire Effie always put on in the hearth, but when he walked in, the house was dark and freezing cold. Not dark enough to hide the out of place envelope on the table.

Closer inspection told him it was addressed to him, so he tore it open and unfolded the piece of paper inside. Effie's perfect handwriting was unmistakable.

' _Haymitch,_

 _I've gone home to the Capitol._

 _It was me who took your geese. You'd become obsessive over them and I was beginning to feel like I was second best in your life. We rarely spent any time together, rarely spoke, all because you were more concerned about your geese as opposed to me, the woman I've always assumed you loved up until now._

 _I knew I had to act so, with Katniss and Peeta's help, we smuggled your geese away. They're all alive and safe and living in Sae's back yard. She's under strict instruction not to use any of them in her stews, so if she's listened, they'll all still be there._

 _I hope you can someday move past this fixation. You've lost me and, although I'm not sure if you care, I hope this will be a wakeup call to you._

 _Take care of yourself,_

 _Effie x'_

He had to read the letter three times before he could react. His first feeling was anger, and he threw the now screwed-up letter into the empty hearth with a growl. But then, he began to feel broken, realising for the first time just how unwanted Effie must have felt.

He could forgive her for what she'd done, but he didn't know if she could forgive him.

He hadn't taken his jacket off, so he headed straight back out, walking in the direction of Sae's place to retrieve his geese. However, his heart ached for losing Effie and, after speaking with Sae, and he soon found himself heading in the direction of the train station, praying she was still there.  
And she was, huddled up in a pink fur coat on a bench, several suitcases at her feet. He had no idea how she'd gotten all of them there by herself.

"Effie," he said simply as he neared her.

"Haymitch," she responded, looking up at him. The tearstains on her cheeks sent a jolt of painful guilt through Haymitch's body.

"Come home," he mumbled. "You'll freeze out here…"

"My train will arrive soon…I-"

"I'm not taking the geese back, Effie," he explained, moving to sit beside her. "Sae's keepin' 'em. She's gonna…sell their eggs in her store and give us half the profit…"

"What do you mean?" Effie looked up at him once more.

"Don't make me repeat myself," he groaned. "If ya want me to make it sappy, I chose you over the geese. Happy now?"

"Oh Haymitch…" she whispered, throwing himself at him and burying her face in his chest as she began to cry all over again, tears of happiness this time.

And that was that. Effie's plan had paid off in the end. And it had only taken one heartbreak to get there.


	21. Three Words

_This prompt was sent to my ask box on Tumblr:_

 _"OKAY SO IDEK IF YOU TAKE PROMPTS OR IF THIS IS HOW YOU REQUEST THEM BUT MY MIND JUST CAME UP WITH AN IDEA AND I'D LOVE IF YOU'D WRITE IT. Okay, so you know that soulmate au about how your soulmates last words are like tattooed on your skin? Well how about Effie's is 'I love you' and she grows up thinking it's all sweet and her soulmate is super lovely ect and then she ends up with Haymitch and the first time he says he loves her are his last words and oh please write it I CANNOT HANDLE THE FEELS"_

 _I kept it short but hopefully made up for it with the angst! Enjoy and feel free to send me any prompts!_

* * *

 _ **I love you.**_

The words had been etched into the delicate skin of her wrist since she was born. She didn't question what they meant until she was five, when she realised her mama said those words to her every night.

" _Everyone has them, my sweet flower,_ " her mother had explained. " _They say it'll be someone's last words to you._ "

" _You say it to me every night, mama,_ " Effie frowned. " _I don't want you to say it anymore. I don't want you to go._ "

" _It wont be my last words to you. It will be the last words of someone special, someone who steals your heart._ "

Effie had clutched her chest at that point, a pout on her face. She didn't like the idea of someone stealing her heart.

xXx

It turned out that Effie wasn't very good and protecting her heart from being stolen like she'd been so determined to do since she was a child. When she was 25, she met him.

It had started out as complete disgust on Effie's part, doing nothing but look down on the unwashed, drunken mentor. She begged to be moved to a different district to be away from this man, but she was told year after year that if she could bring her tributes up to a good standard, she could be moved.

She failed every year and, by the time she reached 30 years of age, she was still partnered with Haymitch.

That was the year of the 74th Games, the year everything changed.

They'd fallen into bed the night their tributes were announced as winners. For once, Haymitch had stayed sober and it was as if she was communicating with an actual human being.

He wasn't the best lover she'd ever had, but there was a tenderness to his touch which drove her crazy. She couldn't resist him after that.

xXx

Feelings were never discussed between the pair, perhaps because there weren't any. He never stayed with her after they'd been intimate, and Effie understood it was because he feared hurting her in the throes of a nightmare. She often heard him yelling out in the night, but he always kept his door locked so she couldn't get to him.

She began to realise she was falling for him when she felt her heart break as she read out his name at the reaping for the Quarter Quell. But she decided she would never tell him. Haymitch seemed the sort of man who would run if there was so much of a hint of feeling. She didn't know what had happened to him after his Games, but she knew relationships were not something he would let himself get into.

But still, after the reaping, things were different between them. It was like they were closer, like they brought eachother more than just a release of frustration. He started staying with her, letting her sleep in his arms. When she woke up in the mornings, he was still sound asleep, as if she brought him comfort. He certainly brought it to her.

Things didn't change when they moved to 13 to fight the war against the Capitol. Granted, they saw less of eachother, but they truly sought solace in one another throughout their time in that underground bunker. Effie was scared and Haymitch was tired. They fixed eachother.

When the time came to storm the Capitol, Effie insisted on going with Haymitch, intent on standing by his side. He eventually caved, and they stood side by side on the balcony of one of the City Circle buildings as they watched the battle below. But Haymitch soon noticed the hovercraft coming in on the horizon, coming straight towards the building that had become the Rebel stronghold in the past few weeks. He knew it was over before she did.

"Effie," he said quickly to her. "Your words. What are they?"

Effie frowned and rolled up her sleeve, showing the writing on her wrist.

"What's wrong?" She asked, looking into his eyes and seeing something in them that she'd never seen before- fear. When he turned to glance over his shoulder, she followed his gaze and saw the hovercraft less than a few hundred metres away. That was when she knew.

"I…I love you," he said, quietly but it was all Effie could hear despite the sounds of panic beginning to rush through those stood out on the balcony with them.

Without a word, Effie took Haymitch's arm and unbuckled the wristwatch she realised he'd never taken off, an apparent effort to hide those four words written there.

The words had only just crossed her lips when the bombs dropped on the building.

 _ **I love you too.**_


End file.
